The Plunge
by SkullszEyes
Summary: Link accompanies Teba and Tulin at Hebra Plunge. Something sneaks up on Link.


It was early morning when Link was dressed up in his warm clothes, trekking across the snowy mountains when he came upon Teba and his son, Tulin. They were at the highest point of Hebra Plunge. Tulin, anxious, was looking down at the deep blue water with his wings hugging his sides.

"Son, you're going to have to get used to the cold climate," Teba said, noting his sons shivering.

Tulin nodded, extending his wings out at his sides and let out a breath. "I can do this, I can do this."

Teba smiled, and glanced to their left to see Link walking up the incline toward them. He placed a hand on Tulin's shoulder and pointed. Tulin turned and his eyes widened in surprise at Link.

He ran towards him and embraced Link who hugged back. "Link, you made it."

Link smiled. "Of course I did. I wouldn't miss out on some flying lessons with you and your dad."

"I'm glad you're here, Link, maybe you can elicit a bit more courage in my son," Teba said as Link walked with Tulin toward him.

Link nodded. He wanted to help, and when Teba mentioned a few days ago when Link was visiting the Rito that he wanted to teach his son how to fly higher in the sky where the cold was more pronounced. Link jumped at the opportunity to go along with Teba.

Link, of course, had some memories of another Rito who scoffed at him for being _wingless_. Now that Link had the paraglider, he didn't have to worry about having no wings, he could easily glide from one area to another.

He took it from his back and extended it, holding the handles, he leaned forward and glanced down at the waters below. It was a long drop, but the height didn't scare him as much as it should.

"Now that Link's here, we'll be fine," Tulin said to his father.

Teba smiled. "Of course. Get ready, Tulin." He extended his wings out and began to flap up and down, gaining wind. Tulin did the same, a look of determination flashed across his face.

With the wind, Link gripped the handles of the paraglider and felt himself lift from the ground at the added wind. He ran from the ledge and jumped off, easing the paraglider upwards as the two Rito flew, pushing the wind and lifting Link higher in the air alongside them.

Tulin laughed as he slowed his flight and flew next to Link. "Are you cold, Link?"

"Not really," Link said, shifting his grip as a cold wind brushed against him.

"Your cheeks are red," Tulin said.

Link smiled. Moving his weight on the paraglider, they flew to the right, Teba dove under and managed to add more wind to Link who was beginning to descend.

"This isn't so bad," Teba said to Tulin, "you'll be fine in the colder regions."

Tulin flapped and ascended higher in the air, a joyful laugh echoed around them.

"Thanks for coming along, Link, I think Tulin has gotten a hang of flying in the cold," Teba said as he flew next to Link.

"No problem," Link said, easing the paraglider up as Teba gave him more wind to glide over the lip of the mountain side. He landed with a skid on the snow and twisted around. Teba and Tulin were still flying around the Plunge.

Link shuddered as he walked over to the higher edge cliff. What he didn't notice was the Lizalfos covered in snow making its way toward him.

Tulin waved at him from the sky only for his smile to drop and he shouted something Link couldn't hear. He looked over his shoulder and saw it looming over him, holding a weapon, the Lizalfos swung his sword at Link. He raised the paraglider to block the weapon and stumbled backwards, slipping on the loose icy stone ridge.

Link tumbled backwards and fell.

"Link!" Is all he heard from Tulin who was flying downwards but wasn't fast enough to catch up. He didn't have the paraglider to save him and he couldn't reach the mountainside to catch himself.

Before he hit the water's surface, he could see Tulin wavering in the sky, and Teba who was flying downwards after him. The water engulfed his body, the cold searched through the warm clothes that were meant to protect him from the icy wind in his travels of the Hebra region. His body tensed and as the darkness began to grow around his eyes, something cut through that same darkness and tugged him back toward the light.

He gasped for air when his body was dragged from the water, hands numb but gripping onto Teba's clothes as the Rito began flapping his wings. He wasn't sure if they were out of the water until the wind brushed against him, he shuddered, teeth chattering. Teba flew them to the ridge where he fell and where he left the paraglider, Teba swatted at the Lizalfos that was still lurking nearby.

"Tulin," Teba said, his voice stoic, calm under the duress as Link held onto him, not able to let go, "come here."

"Is he okay? Please, dad, tell me he's okay."

"He's alive, that's all that matters." Teba reached down and gripped Link's sides, "I'm going to tie the paraglider on your back, Tulin, and you're going to head back to the village."

"He's not going to die?" Tulin asked, his voice breaking.

"No. Hurry up, he's going to freeze."

"So he is dying!"

"Tulin."

"Sorry."

For a short moment, they were quiet before Teba reached down and grabbed Link's sides. He pulled him away before Link found his back and gripped tightly onto Teba's shoulders, shuddering, his body tensed as Teba began flapping his wings again. A spray of water hit Link's face and he groaned, leaning his head against Teba's back.

They were in the air again, this time flying fast toward the village that wasn't too far away. Link turned his head and found Tulin flying close by, the paraglider hung on his back. His eyes were red from crying, and Link felt sorry for what he was putting them through.

He didn't mean to fall from the ridge, but he had no other weapons on him, not even a shield. His reflexes weren't as great either, and he regretted how much he put himself in danger. Link closed his eyes, letting the cold wash over him before he fell asleep.

When he awoke again, he was warm. Blinking his eyes open, he noted Tulin sitting beside the bed he was lying in. There was no cold, no watery darkness that would have dragged him beneath, never to rise to the warm sun ever again.

"Hey," he said, softly.

Tulin opened his eyes, a flash of surprise cut across his features before he jumped at Link. "You're awake. Oh, I thought you wouldn't wake up."

Link smiled, hugging Tulin back. "I'm fine, I think."

"Dad said you'd wake up again, he said you weren't in the water that long, but the fall would leave you sleeping for some time. Are you okay? The nurse said you were okay…"

"I'm fine," Link said, sitting up. He didn't feel any different, but there was an aftershock of cold that made him wince. "Where's your dad?"

Tulin slid off the bed. "I'll go get him." Tulin ran from the room and headed down the hall, calling for his dad.

Link breathed in, letting the warmth settle around him. When Teba and Tulin arrived back in the room, accompanied by Teba's wife, Saki.

"Thanks for saving my life," Link said, running a hand through his hair.

Teba smiled. "No problem. Are you doing okay? The nurse didn't find any injuries on you...that Lizafols had a weapon...I wasn't sure when I took you from the water if you were hit. I'm just glad that you're not harmed."

Link shook his head. "I'm fine. I think my paraglider took the brunt of the attack." He looked around for it and found it wasn't anywhere in the room.

"Tulin was fixing it for you," Teba said, watching Tulin run from the room, "it had a large cut on the side of the handle."

Tulin ran back into the room with the paraglider. It was folded inwards and when he placed it down on the bed, Link could see the cut. It wasn't as deep, maybe because the Lizafols wasn't close to him to break it.

"You should get that fixed before it breaks the next time you decide to jump off a cliff," Teba said.

Link nodded. "I'll do that, thanks."

Teba and Saki left him with Tulin. They were near the top of the Rito Village, dangling the legs over the ledge as Link fixed the paraglider.

"I wished I saved you, Link," Tulin confessed.

Link raised a brow. "It wasn't your fault that I fell."

"If I was faster...like my dad...then maybe I could've saved you."

Link placed the paraglider down beside him. "One day you'll be like your dad. A fast Rito warrior."

Tulin smiled. "I want that...I want to be like my dad. He's brave and courageous...he flew into the icy water for you without hesitating. I wish I could do that. My wings get wet and they're heavy afterward."

"Training everyday helps," Link said, "it helps a lot. I trained so I could be like my own dad, he was a soldier for Hyrule, he taught me how to use a sword, said I could be as strong as he is when he grows up. If you train everyday, you'll be great."

Tulin hugged Link. "I don't think I ever want to see you hurt ever again. It's scary."

"I'll try to be more careful, more alert," Link said, promising himself that the most, he didn't want to be off guard like that, scaring the people around him. He had to be better.

"Tulin, Link, it's supper time," Saki called.

Both Link and Tulin got to their feet.

"Let's go, Link," Tulin said.

Link smiled and raced after him.

 **The end.**

* * *

 **Notes:** _I was playing LoZ: Botw and I was attacked unexpectedly, and was thrown from a cliff. I scrambled to get my paraglider out and thought: What if?_ **  
**

 _So that's where this story was born from. :)_

 _I hope you enjoyed._

 _Reviews are appreciated. No flames or bashing please._


End file.
